Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week.
Channel 4 News lead presenter, British journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, has been taken off-air for a week after calling British Minister Steve Baker “a c**t”.
Guru-Murthy later issued an apology in a tweet for the remark, which he claimed was uttered in a “unguarded moment.”
“After a robust interview with Steve Baker MP I used a very offensive word in an unguarded moment off air. While it was not broadcast that word in any context is beneath the standards I set myself and I apologise unreservedly. I have reached out to Steve Baker to say sorry,” tweeted the seasoned broadcaster.
“I appreciate you apologizing. Thank you,” the Tory MP tweeted in response to the anchor’s statement.
I appreciate you apologising. Thank you.
— Steve Baker MP FRSA 🗽 (@SteveBakerHW) October 19, 2022
According to Channel 4, it maintains a strict code of conduct for workers and “takes any breaches seriously.”
In a statement, the broadcaster said: “Channel 4 has a strict code of conduct for all its employees, including its programming teams and on-air presenters, and takes any breaches seriously.”
“Following an off-air incident, Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been taken off air for a week.”
The BBCreported that after his suspension, Guru-Murthy will not return to the channel before November 4 due to an additional pre-existing week of leave.
However, Mr Baker told Times Radio that sacking Guru-Murthy would be a “service to the public” if he was found to be in breach of his code of conduct.